The Spoonbill is seen more and more regularly in the UK these days, and the RSPB states that its population here is “strongly increasing”. To put that in better context though, they think that around seventy pairs nest here, mainly in the East Anglian Fens, and around a hundred individuals regularly overwinter in England and Wales. So you’re not likely to find them at the pond in your local park any time soon. But given that the Spoonbill was largely absent from Britain for around 300 years from the late C17th, the current situation is a definite improvement. What looks like a gradual recolonisation is probably driven by an increase in the Spoonbill’s breeding and wintering populations in Continental Europe – which in turn is likely to be due in large part to climate change – but the bird is still Amber Listed, as a species of conservation concern.
This individual has been hanging around Slimbridge for a couple of weeks now – mostly standing on one leg on Tack Piece, opposite the Robbie Garnett Hide, with its head under its wing, sound asleep. Every now and then it stretches, has a bit of a scratch, opens its ridiculous bill wide in what looks very like a yawn, then tucks its head back in and closes its eyes again. At which point someone in the hide will say, “Right – that’s all it’s likely to do this morning,” and stomp off in search of something more active. To be fair to the Spoonbill, they’re known to roost during the day and feed at night – but birders and photographers are a crabby bunch.
My second photo was taken outside the Discovery Hide, where I was standing, peering up into the alder trees by the path, when a group of other people arrived and – as birders will – immediately stopped and began peering into the trees as well. “Siskins still here?” said one, conversationally. “I can hear some,’ I replied, “but I can’t see them.” It was about twenty seconds later when the flock relocated slightly and we all picked up the movement and pinned down the birds. If there’s any kind of point to this tale, it’s this: if you want Siskins in your garden, plant an alder.
R: L2, C6, D6.
